Wicked Dreamers
by Morgenstern128
Summary: Rhysand and Feyre are just trying to have a normal life, or at least as normal as is possible for the two of them, when everything starts going wrong again. But will having each other be enough this time?
1. Chapter 1

_**Hi everyone! I basically have no idea what I am doing writing this, because this is the first time I have written fanfiction for this Fandom, and I just finished the second book. So please, refrain from spoilers until I tell you all that I am done with book three. Right, so either way, I write the authors note in the beginning before I write the story, cause that's just how I am, so this might fail spectacularly, please don't judge. This is the story that I am kind of just writing for fun, so the chapters will probably be few, and far between, but hey, if this gets a bigger following than my other stories, I will definitely spend more time on this. Alright, I think that's all I wanted to say, although I might add more to this thin as I go. Wish me luck! *nervous laughing* Enjoy!**_

 **Rhysand:**

I winnowed to the roof, following the scent of Feyre and our bond, but instead of surprising her, I was the one who was surprised.

She had her wings out, gorgeous, onyx black Illyrian wings fit for a Queen. She hadn't noticed my presence yet, which normally would have shocked me, and began a witty banter between us, but she seemed to lost in thought to even realize what she herself was doing.

She was almost spinning in circles trying to look at the wings that she had finally managed to get out after weeks of practice. She looked so cute, confused and trying to see her wings more that I cloaked myself in the night to watch.

I felt slightly bad about it, but she looked so perfect, and it wasn't like she wouldn't know I was here. If she came out of that trance that the wings put her in it wouldn't be hard for her to sense me. Our mating bond would do that for her.

But she wasn't coming out of that trance any time soon. She spun quickly, like she was trying to trick the wings into not moving with her. It took all of my significant restraint not to laugh out loud at that.

She was getting close to the edge of the roof, which slightly worried me, because I don't think that she would be able to fly very well just yet, unless she had been sneaking up here often to practice.

Just then Feyre got the wings to flap and she glowed a little bit at it. So that's a no on the practicing. We really had to figure out that glowing.

She took a few steps, trying to get her wings to flap again by moving her shoulders in circles, but finding that it was hard to do so with two large objects jutting out of your back.

She took another step and went over the side of the roof. I hadn't even noticed how close she was, I was so fascinated with her face. As per the usual.

I winnowed into the sky, unfurling my wings to catch Feyre in my arms as she fell.

We stayed like that, my mate finally broken from her trance, her wings haven disappeared once again. She had no trouble running her fingers along mine though, making me quake with pleasure. She always did this.

I winnowed us back to the roof before my wings gave out as she ran her finger along them.

We sat down on the iron chairs. Feyre turned towards me, sitting on my lap. She ran both of her hands along the broad top of my wings, making them shake.

"What? Have I rendered the High Lord of the Night Court speechless?" She teased me, knowing full well what she was doing to me. Anyone would if they came up here and saw the state of my lap, and the bump ever growing there.

"You wicked little thing," I ground out, pleasure sweeping though me.

She laughed, the sound filling me with warmth. It had taken so long fr her to laugh after… after Amaranth.

"But that's how you like me best Rhys," she whispered in my ear, her breath tingling my neck.

I was so hard by now that it hurt. I grasped her arms and winnowed us into our room, figuring privacy was better in the bright light of the dusk.

I laid her down on the bed, sliding her sweater off. It had already ripped when her powerful wings had come out, so I was really just properly disposing of it.

We wouldn't want it to be left on in that state either way, Feyre whispered down my bond.

I chuckled. No, not at all.

I made love to her until we were both breathing raggedly and falling asleep in each other's arms. Tomorrow we would have to visit the Court of Nightmares once again, to remind them of their rulers, but tonight we could allow for only dreams to come through.

Dreams of a future, if we were brave enough. A future together. And there was one thing that my Feyre certainly was not, and it was a coward.

"What role will I be playing tomorrow?" She asked me as we drifted off.

"Whatever role you would like my lady," I answered, knowing in my heart the role that I would most like her to play.

"I always did notice that there were two thrones on that dais," she whispered, a half question, and half musing.

"Yes, I seem to recall that as well. And it seems a shame to let one go through such disuse," I murmured back.

"Such a shame," her breath caressed my ear again.

"Although it was so lovely having you sit on my lap last time," I mused, wryness seeping into my voice.

"Why would you want me to sit on your lap then when you could have me sit on your face here later?" she questioned, wicked humor lacing the words.

My cock twitched at the thought, her laughter reverberating against me in the dark.

"That is much better," I managed to whisper before we both fell prey to the sleep we had been longing for all through the long day.

 ** _I hope that didn't suck, even though it was short. Till next time (whenever that is)! Bye!_**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Well, a grand total of none of you reviewed my last chapter, which brings my self esteem for this story down a lot, but hey, it's for fun so who cares? Enjoy!**_

 **Feyre:**

I woke up with Rhysand wing cocooning me in the most perfect way. I could hear that he was awake by his breathing.

"Good morning, Feyre darling," he breathed near my neck, now hearing that I was also awake.

"It always is when I wake up next to you," I replied, snuggling in further to his body, hard with muscles.

"When did we become those mates?" He asked, no small amount of teasing in his voice.

"When did you become that person who asks that?" I retorted, not opening my eyes yet.

I felt his laugh against me, before my back was cold. Rhys had gotten up and was preparing for… our meeting.

Shoot. I forgot about our meeting with Keir to talk about the arrangement between us and him about his court coming to Velaris.

I shot out of bed and into our shower. When I got out Rhysand was already dressed in his normal black jacket and pants, and had his raven feather crown on.

Due to this new arrangement, Keir and a few members of his delegation would be coming to the House of Wind to negotiate the terms.

Of course, Rhys had ordered every shop owner and innkeeper and restaurant manager not to let any member of the Court of Nightmares in, and to make them feel as unwelcome as possible, but they couldn't know that.

I changed into a white dress made in Night Court fashion, with sheer panels for the arms, legs, and around my midriff. Then I put on the crown I had chosen from our treasury what seemed like years ago.

Death Triumphant and the Stars Eternal. Our favorite look.

The plan was that we would both release the damper on our powers when we got to the House of Wind, so I would let myself glow slightly, and Rhysand would bring night to the room.

All of his plans were so dramatic. But I couldn't even pretend to care. Keir was a self absorbed, arrogant nuisance, and anything to undermine his sense of self and power was a gift in and of itself.

"Are you ready my love?" Rhys asked from the doorway as I looked at myself in the mirror, remembering the day when I had looked into the Ouroboros. I shuddered and nodded.

"How could I not be ready to annoy Keir?" I asked, smirking.

"No truer words have ever been uttered," my mate replied, holding his arm out to me like the chivalrous Illyrian he was.

I brushed by though, smirking at him again over my shoulder. He stuck his tongue out in response. Such a childish man.

When we got to the living room everyone who would be coming with us was already there. Mor, in her standard red gown, her lips painted a crimson so dark it bordered on black. Cassian, his Illyrian leathers on, but no armor, his hair tied back with a leather band. Amren was there as well, ready to intimidate Keir and his court if they became too bold, even if she no longer had otherworldly powers.

Azriel was in Autumn Court land, with Eris, trying to help him take the throne from his father. Now was the ideal time, he had told me when I asked, because the world was finally settling back into normal after Hybern's conquest.

Once we got there, Rhys looked each and everyone one of us in the eyes meaningfully, talking to each of them I was sure. When he got to me he just caressed my mental shields.

I gave him a small smile. Then he wrapped his arms around me and we winnowed to the barrier around the house, flying in the rest of the way. My wings were getting stronger, but still not good enough to do this quick transition.

I tried to steel myself for facing Keir and his entourage, and leaned farther into my mate, relishing every pure moment that I could.

Because I knew that this wasn't going to be an easy day.

 _ **Hey, I hope you all liked it, and yes I know it was short, but I do it for fun, so who even cares? Till next time! Bye!**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hello Fae and faeries! I am more than a little shocked that I have updated this often, but who knows anymore? I don't! Let's get to it then! Enjoy!**_

 **Rhysand** :

Keir was there when we arrived, and looking less than happy that we made him wait. Too bad for him. Plus, it was always fun to watch him get pissed, lest he forget his rank.

"Keir," I said in way of greeting. I might have taken off the mask of cruelty that I used to wear around people, but Keir still angered me to no bounds.

"High Lord," he said back, bowing deeply, holding his hand in memory of that visit to the Court of Nightmares where I had mangled it. I could practically see him fuming at having to bow until I let him up.

"Rise Keir. We have matter to discuss, as you very well know," I said, walking to the dining room, leaving him to follow. Or throw himself off the cliff. Either would be fine.

I walked with Feyre, and once we had found our seats at the head of the table, where two chairs had been placed for the High Lord and High Lady, Keir took his seat down the table a ways, his advisors filling in around him, but giving us space.

"High Lord. My court is to be granted access to Velaris. That was out agreement," Keir stated, breaking the silence, but not breaking his eye contact with me. He ignored Feyre completely.

Go ahead. Answer him Feyre, darling. Show him who the Night Court's High Lady is. I purred across the bond to my mate.

A touch fluttered against my shields, and it took all of my will power not to shiver.

Of course. And when this meeting is over, I'll show you too.

I crossed my leg over my other at the ankle in an attempt to hide the growing bulge in my pants at the images Feyre sent down the bond.

Cruel, wicked thing.

"Keir. That was our agreement, yes. But it does not mean there will not be checks. You will give us notification as to when you plan on coming. You will not harm or bother any occupants of this city. And we will not force anything upon the shopkeepers. If they want nothing to do with you, then you and your court will leave them in peace. If we hear of you breaking these rules, then you will never again set foot here. Is that understood?" Feyre addressed Keir and his advisors, a picture of cool power.

"Yes, it is understood," Keir ground out. I grinned, a cruel, genuine thing, at watching Keir answer to a woman, when he was used to them answering to him.

"Good. Now go tell your court what has been agreed upon and get out of my face," Feyre snarled at him.

They all left quickly, eager to be out of our presence.

"How did I do?" my mate asked me, turning to face me.

"Beautifully my love. How long do you think they will attempt to come for once they realize no one will allow them to do business?" I responded with my own question.

"Hopefully not long. They do not seem the type to stay around such embarrassment," Feyre answered wisely.

"Indeed they are not. Now, I believe I was promised something?" I say, smirking.

"I believe you were," Feyre agrees, matching my smirk before running for the balcony and throwing herself off of it, snapping out her wings. "If you can catch me that is!"

"Now you're going to get it!" I shout back, racing after her.

Just as I catch up, she winnows away, appearing a few hundred yards to the left. I follow, but she's already gone again.

The sneaky woman has been practicing I see.

I winnow into her path, wrapping my arms tight around her, but still letting her wings stay free. She tried winnowing, but I just traveled with her.

"No escaping now," I breathe against her neck.

"Who said anything about escaping?" She grins, making me wary. And rightly so, because the next second I'm hit with a stream of water.

"Now you're a goner!" I shout, but she's gone. I give chase, shaking the water off my wings like a damn dog.

Feyre was heading for the town house, or more specifically, the roof, where Cassian and Azriel were sparring.

My mate touched down and was already running, grabbing Cassian's shoulders and hiding behind his back, turning him onto my path.

"Illyrian shield!" She shouts from behind him. Cassian's eyes widen, trying to shake Feyre off of him as he realizes what's happening. I send out tendrils of darkness, reaching for his sides, tickling him.

"No, no, no! S-stop that!" Cassian bursts out between laughing and half crying because of it. He falls to the ground, the darkness never relenting.

Feyre, realizing that her shield is down, runs to Azriel, grabbing onto him before he can get away.

"Come on Rhys! You wouldn't torture sweet little Azriel would you?" She asks innocently from behind her newest shield.

"That's not fair Feyre! You know I wouldn't!" I respond, grinning with joy.

"Hey! I'm just fair game then?" Cassian shouts from the ground, trying to catch his breath after my darkness stopped tickling him.

As I look at him Feyre winnows away into the air, taking off again. I race after her once I notice, leaving the two Illyrians behind us.

This was what we had fought for. What we had both died for. For these moments. These amazing moments.

 ** _That was super hard to write for some reason. Till next time! Bye!_**


	4. Chapter 4

**_I want to start by saying thank you to all of my few fans who have reviewed, it means so much when I log on and see that. Also, yeah, these are short chapters, but I am just writing this for fun, it's not my main story. I try to hit 1,000 words at least, but it doesn't always happen. Oh well. Thanks for reading! Enjoy!_**

 **Feyre:**

I woke up the morning after the meeting with Keir to a ruckus outside in Velaris. I pushed back the sheets, shivering at the slight chill that came from the open window and padded over to the doorway. Pulling a tunic and pants on as I stumbled over to the door, I opened it up and looked around.

There was no one in the townhouse, but it sure as hell sounded like there were many people outside in the city.

Opening up the front door to the house, I peeked my head outside to see what looked like an army without armor.

Looking closer I saw that it was in fact not an army, but what looked like the entirety of the Court of Nightmares.

I was torn between wanting to do two things in that moment. At the same time I wanted to laugh my heart out because they had all come and no one would have anything to do with them, and I also wanted to feel bad because no one would have anything to do with them and they came all this way.

I decided on both. I laughed internally at Keir, and his advisors, and those like them, and I felt bad for the women who were like Mor, stuck in that terrible court not by choice, but by birth.

The ruckus was coming from the procession of them attempting to get lodging as they made their way through the city, and being ignored. This caused the men and a few women to begin yelling at the inn keepers, and then Keir in turn yelling at this court to stop and leave them alone.

 _Good,_ I thought. At least he remembered that part of his deal to us.

I could see Rhysand, Amren, and Cassian up at the front of the procession, escorting them through the city. Last night we had decided that Mor would not be in the city for this, and that Azriel would be with her wherever they went. Right about now they should be in the Summer Court on a beach somewhere, making use of the retraction of the blood rubies from Tarquin.

I made my way to the back of the motley parade, where there were mostly women, and a few men, straggling on purpose, gazing with wonder at the city I was proud to call my home.

I winnowed the rest of the way to them. "It's beautiful isn't it?" I asked them as I fell into step.

"It is," One of them replied for the others, giving me a smile.

I thought for a second about what I wanted to do immediately. I wanted to help these people out, these dreamers stuck in a Court of Nightmares, just like Mor. A part of my mind whispered that they might be acting like this on purpose, but I shut it out. Ten people couldn't do that much damage either way, and my heart said that they were being genuine.

"Come with me," I said to the ten dreamers as we passed a fairly nice inn on the street.

They obeyed, following me in. I greeted the inn keeper with a warm smile and a hug. "Please give these people rooms. No one else," and now I leaned closer, "but these ones are dreamers."

The old woman smiled kindly. "Of course High Lady. Free of charge."

"Feyre. Please. And nonsense," I replied, pressing a few silver pieces into her hand and smiling again. "For your kindness."

The woman nodded, and showed the group to their rooms while they stayed. "Thank you!" One of them called from down the hall.

"Of course," I said in response.

I walk back out, surprised to see that the Court of Nightmares has made it much farther down the street than I would have thought in the time I was inside the inn.

Good on my Mate then, for corralling them.

I found myself once again torn between two options. Go have fun for the day, or go and help my husband with Keir and his court.

I groaned. I should go help Rhysand. He would do the same for me. Gods, I really hated being a good person sometimes. It was these times, when my conscience made me help a bunch of terrible people, that I would almost wish for the Night Court to be like everyone used to think it was, some hellhole with an evil ruler.

Almost.

And then I would just imagine Rhys' smile, or his laugh, or how he looked when he was lying next to me, and I would forget all of those half wishes.

This was my home. This was where I was meant to be. And even if it meant dealing with people like Keir, this was my duty, my honor, and my pleasure.

 _You are absolutely correct, Feyre Darling,_ Rhys whispered in my head, caressing my shields with his talons.

 _Eavesdropper,_ I retaliated, smiling like a damn fool despite myself.

 _Does it really count as eavesdropping when I'm inside your head?_ My Mate asked, and I could just sense the sarcasm dripping of the words.

 _Yes. Yes it does,_ I answer him, not yielding an inch.

Then I get a better idea. I recall a few choice images from my memory and infuse them with thoughts of lust and craving, and then I send them at him, rapid fire.

Coming out from inside my mind, I hear a loud curse from the front of the large group of people, one that sounds oddly strangled.

 _Cruel thing,_ I hear Rhysand whisper in my head, but that too sounds like he is repressing emotions. Emotions such as lust, desire, and wanting.

I smirk, and shoving him out, I walk to catch up to the Court of Nightmares, shoving through the crowd to where Rhysand and Keir have now stopped, offering no apologies as I shove people away. These people don't deserve them.

When I finally get to the front, I can clearly see why the procession had stopped.

Rhysand is up in the air, a hundred or so feet up. How I missed that before, I have no idea.

Keir looks far past the point of anger, his face red, and his fists clenched in a way that shows me exactly which emotions and words he is trying to suppress.

From the whispers around me, Rhys made up some bullshit excuse about seeing something, and checking it out, and he had told everyone to wait for him.

I snapped out my wings, and flew up to gloat about my victory. Because the real reason that my Mate had taken to the skies was so no one would see the situation he had brewing beneath his pants.

I dove into his mind, and saw some of the images he was conjuring up to try to resolve the problem. Ianthe flashed by, followed by Tamlin, and then Amarantha under him.

But because I had sent the images to him, they kept popping back up.

I couldn't help it, I began laughing.

"Why are you laughing? It's going to be your problem when Keir decides he's done waiting," Rhysand scowls.

"Oh fine, Killjoy," I retort. Sighing, I pull on my gifts from Kallias, and freeze the problem area, literally sending ice and snow at it.

"Crap!" Rhysand shouts as I do, no doubt because it's freezing. But when I use my abilities from Beron to melt the ice, the problem has been resolved.

"Sensitive Illyrians," I grin, taking his hand and dragging him down. There was no way in hell that I was going to be the one placating the big baby waiting for us on the ground, who goes by the name of Keir.

When we touch down, I shove him towards the waiting man. _Your problem._

 ** _I'm proud of myself. This was my longest chapter yet for this story, and considering I am only writing it for fun, that's pretty good. Drop a review if you would be so kind! Till next time! Bye!_**


	5. Chapter 5

_**Hello again! And I have an announcement! I have no idea what i'm doing! If you haven't noticed, I kind of just randomly update, although I have been trying to update about once a week. I am looking for a co-author though, because I like this story, but it is hard to keep up with it and my other stories, so I want help. Please contact me if you are interested! You must be: 1.) Active on Fanfiction 2.) A good writer (good grammar and spelling) 3.) You must have read all three ACOTAR books. I would be looking for someone to write every other chapter, so we switch off. In further news, the ACOTAR movie! Who's excited? I am! Onto the chapter! Enjoy!**_

 **Rhysand:**

Two days after the Court of Nightmares had arrived, they had left, tired of having to sleep on the road because no one would give them lodging, and tired of not being able to do anything here.

It was a huge relief when they left in peace, and even though I had though Keir's head would burst it was so red with anger, I didn't think that they would be returning any time soon, or at least, returning any time soon with the intent to enjoy the city.

If they would return with the might of the Darkbringers, I couldn't say, but the odds did not seem likely. Keir might be prideful and ambitious, but I think even he could get it into his thick head that if he attempted to attack Velaris, his army would be mist before they could get within a mile of the city.

Velaris had been on edge for the duration of the stay, and it was good to see the city so alive again after they left. Or, most of them left, it would be more accurate to say.

On the first day that the Court was here, before she had come to torture me, Feyre had taken a few members of the Court aside and given them complete access to the city. She had seen that they were dreamers, just like Mor had been, she had told me.

I trusted my mate, and it seemed that she was right, and the people were harmless, just born into the wrong place, but I still had Azriel watching them. It would be a while yet before I trusted the former Court of Nightmares members.

All the same, I had told them that Velaris was open to them for as long as they wished, and that it was a home to dreamers like them. They had seemed a little wary, but thanked me kindly and set out.

Azriel had so far reported nothing amiss, only that they would wander the city, and the shops, and play with the children and help out anyone who needed it. The city had accepted them, and Azriel told me that they would be a good thing.

Mor, of course, had taken to them immediately, even though she was the most wary at first. But then she had met them, and Bam! They were all friends.

"Rhys! Stop looking so thoughtful! It doesn't suit you," Feyre teased me from the chair next to me around the table we were sitting at.

"Please. Everything suits me," I retort, smirking. Feyre stuck her tongue out at me as Cassian jumped into the conversation.

"He has to look thoughtful. It takes every part of his brain to make a thought!" my winged friend declares, grinning.

"At least he has a brain," Azriel says quietly from next to Cassian.

"You know you've hit a low when Az insults someone," Mor hops in, grinning from ear to ear.

There were sounds of protest from Azriel, and roaring laughter from everyone else, that I joined in on.

"Children," Amren said, shaking her head, but smiling nonetheless as she took a sip from her metal cup, made opaque to hide the blood within.

"Well, everyone is a child compared to you Amren. You're down right ancient," Mor shot back, grinning as she poked Amren in the side, making her jump.

"You are absolutely correct Morrigan. So learn to respect your elders!" Amren called out in response.

"But that would break my streak of not respecting my elders!" Mor mockingly whined, pouting a little bit.

"You have a streak too?" Feyre gasped sarcastically, putting her hand over her heart and looking shocked before she broke down laughing, the whole table following her into the howls, even stoic Amren.

"You're all talking about respect, so how about you start showing your High Lord some?" I protest, remembering all of the names that my friends had called me over the decades.

"Of course my liege," Cassian mocked me, getting up from his chair to give me an over extravagant bow.

"Liege? I've heard it's against tradition to be… involved… with your liege," Feyre noted, smirking with that wicked mouth of hers.

"...screw respect then," I announce, causing another round of roaring laughter, and causing Feyre's smirk to deeped.

 _So I'm worth more than respect?_ I hear in my mind, claws caressing my mental walls.

I purred low in my throat at the sensation. _Most definitely, Feyre Darling._

Feyre simply purred through my mental walls, making me shiver.

"Cauldron, stop that!" Mor protested as goosebumps ran down my arms in wake of my shiver.

"You're just jealous," I teased my cousin, sticking my tongue out.

"Oh, just you wait until I bring a girl home. You'll see how terrible it is to watch you two lovebirds," Mor responded.

"Whatever you say cousin," I said laughing.

The conversation lulled as everyone ate their dinner and drank their wine, just threads of words between people.

When everyone was finished with their food and drinks, and my shadows servants came to take everything away, the mood sombered, and I spoke the words I had been pushing down all night.

"I received a letter from Tamlin."

 _ **Buh buh buhhhh! Cliffhanger! Sorry not sorry. I'll read you all sometime soonish, I suppose, to pull you up off that cliff. Till next time! Bye!**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**I am so pumped to start writing this chapter (I write the AN before the actual chapter) because I have been waiting to incorporate the other High Lords in some major way, and I finally figured out how to do it! Plus, is there anyone who is more fun to screw around with than Tamlin? I think not. Because I fully intent to mess with him, or mess him up. I'm not particular. Enjoy!**_

 **Feyre** :

When Rhys told us that he had gotten a message from Tamlin, I was so, so angry at him. We told each other everything. And he hadn't told me. I might not have been so enraged if it had been anything else, but this… this was Tamlin! The male who had let me be broken, and no matter what he had done to atone, I could never forgive him for the things he had done.

He had locked me in that house. And Rhysand had been in my head, he knew exactly the mark that that had left on me. Knew exactly how it had broken me. And still… still he hadn't told me.

It didn't matter what he had said to me when he had saved Rhys. It didn't matter, none of it did. He was a monster. He hadn't helped me when I was broken. And then he had broken me ever farther.

I didn't even wait to hear what the message was, I didn't want to. Lucien was here with me. Alis wasn't there any more, she had gotten free with her nephews. So there was nothing there that concerned me. I got up, shoving my chair back, and without looking at my mate, or any of my family, I walked right out the front door and winnowed away.

And had ended up on the edge of the worst place I could imagine having gone. I had winnowed to the edge of Under the Mountain, as far as I could go.

I almost began crying right then. But my heart was harder than that at the moment. And in my heart I knew that this was the one place that Rhysand would not come, and I didn't want him to come right now. I wanted to be alone.

I knew it made me evil for doing it, but I didn't care. Things had been so good, and then slightly less good when Keir came, but they were still good. It was still home, and I still had my family. For something like this to happen… and for my mate to keep it from me… I wanted him to feel the pain in my heart.

Even if it was the heart that he had helped me fix.

So I snapped my wings out, and started flying to the mountain, and the entrance that I knew went into it.

A few minutes later, and I was walking through the same hall that I had when I had been a scared human girl, coming to rescue her taken love. I laughed bitterly, the sound echoing around me. How naive that girl had been. How oblivious.

I walked towards the center of the cavern, the same space where I had faced the Middengard Worm, where I had had to answer a riddle, and where I had… where I had put a knife through the hearts of two innocent faeries.

There was still a stain left on the ground from their blood spilling unto it.

The sight of the stain almost made me turn away and run, but made myself stay. I made myself remember looking into the Ouroboros, and what I had seen inside of it. How it had made me love every bit of me. Even the evil ones.

I loved those the best. I had told Rhys that day of the battle. And now, I wanted those parts to come to the surface.

I walked forward farther, stepping around the blood stain, and strode to the two thrones that were still there.

I could picture them, Amarantha and Tamlin, sitting on those thrones, the former grinning with evil delight, the latter showing no emotion.

Thinking back, I should have known. I should have known that if he truly loved me, the way that I loved him, I would have been able to see it. Even just a glimmer.

Turning my gaze to the secret hallway that was now opened up, I thought to myself that I definitely should have know then that Tamlin was not the one for me. When he had taken the single opportunity to get me away from everyone to try to have sex instead of getting me free of the hell that I was slowly succumbing to.

I would have turned the knife on myself. That's what I had told the Carver when Rhysand and I had gone to see him.

At the thought my knees gave out, and I fell to the ground in front of the throne that Tamlin had once sat in. I fell and I cried.

I cried because I had thought myself to be rid of him, and the taint he had left on my soul after him and Ianthe had been through with me.

And I cried for the two faeries that I had killed. I cried for the children that the Winter Court had lost. I cried for all of those who lost their lives during the Wars against Hybern, even the ones that I couldn't name.

I cried for Clare Beddor, who I had condemned to death.

I cried for my father, who had been another casualty of our war.

I cried and cried and cried, until there were no more tears.

And then I picked myself up off of the ground, and walked out of the cavern, and out of the tunnel, and out of Under the Mountain. I walked away from it.

I left all of those sadnesses and regrets behind in that awful place.

I left Under the Mountain for the second time. We got out.

Then I winnowed home. To Velaris. To my family. To my mate. To whatever bad news was awaiting me.

And when I arrived in the townhouses sitting room, I felt terrible. Not the way I had felt terrible in that throne room. But in the way that meant I was feeling guilty. Guilty for going where I had, leaving the others to worry, and going where I knew my mate would not follow.

But inside, I still felt better, and more willing to deal with Tamlin.

 _ **Sorry that that was so serious, but I kind of needed to add a serious chapter at some point, so I'm glad that I got it out of the way now. Till next time! Bye!**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Hi! I'm back (finally), and I promise that this chapter is going to be less dark than the last one, although I can't promise how much lighter it will be, because Feyre still has to confront her family about Tamlin, and I have to reveal my evil plans *insert evil laughter* so don't get too excited (although there aren't enough of you, my loyal fans, for that to be an issue). Also, I read ACOFAS, and it's amazing. But I don't want to spoil it, so if you have read it, pm me so we can , let's get on with the story! Enjoy!**_

 **Rhysand** :

I couldn't find her.

My mate.

I couldn't find my mate. Feyre had winnowed away after I had simply said the name Tamlin. And of course the fact that I hadn't told her.

I supposed it was a bad day for her. We both had them. But this… I couldn't find her.

I couldn't get through her shields. It didn't even seem like anything was behind them. It was the day when the Attor attacked Velaris all over again, when I couldn't get in. When I couldn't get through.

None of us could. Amren couldn't track her. Az and Cas couldn't find her. I couldn't sense her own the mating bond, even though it was still there and intact thank the Mother, and Az's spied couldn't find her.

For hours and hours. No one could find my mate.

I had stumbled into our room, a cluster of our personalities, and sank down the wall closest to the door, tears freely flowing.

Everything had been so good for so long. We had been healing. Things were getting better every day, both inside our heads and hearts, and out on the streets of Velaris. And I had ripped that apart.

I was still sitting against that wall when the door creaked open and closed softly again. "Not now Azriel. Not now," I told my spymaster weakly, thinking that it was Azriel, considering that he was the only member of my family that would have closed that door so quietly.

"It's not Azriel," a voice that I had not been expecting answered. The smell struck a moment later. Feyre. Mate.

I was up off of the ground and facing her in the blink of an eye. I couldn't believe it. She had disappeared, and now she was back. And she wasn't yelling, or throwing anything at me. And she… she was still looking at me like she loved me.

She still looked like Feyre. She didn't look like I had shattered everything good between us with one terrible kept secret.

But still, even though I wanted to hug her, to kiss her, to make sure that she was real and I wasn't seeing an illusion, I stood still.

This was her decision, as I tried to make everything concerning her. I wasn't going to touch her if she didn't want to be touched. I wasn't going to force her into doing anything. I wasn't going to be like Tamlin. Not when he was what started all of this in the first place.

Feyre stepped closer, and closer, until we were close enough to share breath. She looked at me, with clear eyes, and smiled. I almost pounced on her then, but I held that leash on my self control tight, even when the scent of her this close made me insane.

Then she came even closer and wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tightly, like she was making sure that I was still here too. Slowly, so slowly, I brought my arms up around her, squeezing her to me, breathing her in. My mate. Who didn't seem to be on the verge of murdering me.

Then Feyre pulled back, and cupped my face in her beautiful, painters hands. "You're mine," she whispered, effectively snapping that leash that I had been so carefully keeping on my self control.

I crushed her into me, crashing my lips against hers in a bruising kiss. "I'm yours. And you're mine," I whispered between kisses, as we slowly backed towards the giant bed in the middle of our room.

We had just fallen onto the bed, Feyre on top me, straddling my waist as we kissed, when the door banged open. "Cassian," Feyre whispered after a groan of annoyance at being interrupted, without looking at who it was.

Then she climbed off of me, much to my chagrin, and faced the person standing in the doorway. It was indeed our general. "Called it," Feyre spoke out loud, not bothering to fix her half ridden up sweater as she walked out the door past Cassian, who looked amused.

"We should've known that you lovebirds would have made up soon enough. Although, we could have done without the terrifying interlude Feyre," Cassian stated, falling in next to me as we followed Feyre down the hallway, her sweater falling into place as she walked.

"We prefer lovebats, and too bad. Next time don't drop something like that on me," my mate answers, raising her eyebrow at us over her shoulder as we descend to the living room.

Cassian laughs and begins defending himself, telling Feyre that he had no idea about the letter either until I had told them all, but I was too preoccupied with the shadows that I had seen in my wife's eyes to pay much attention.

Even if she had forgiven me, and that she understood why I had done what I had done, I could tell that learning that Tamlin was contacting us again had done something to her. Something that had cleared her mind and heart as much as it had hurt them.

And there was that smell, the one that I had sensed clinging to her own scent, but I hadn't been able to place… what was it? And why did it seem to bring dark feelings to mind? Where had she gone when she winnowed away?

Then we had reached the living room, and Feyre was at the right angle for me to notice something that I had missed when she had appeared to me earlier. There was dried mud on one of her fingers.

At the same moment that I noticed this, two things happened. One, Azriel, Amren, and Mor all walked through the door to our townhouse, and two, I recognized the scent on my mate.

I tensed, every nerve in my body going rigid. Amren was the first one to notice, and then everyone was looking at me with varying levels of concern.

I was just staring at Feyre. "You went back," I whispered, my eyes wider than saucers.

"Went back where?" Mor demanded, but Feyre gave me a look of understanding.

"Under the Mountain. You went back Under the Mountain," I repeated again, shaking my head as I worked to keep the dark thoughts out of my mind.

Everyone was looking at the two of us now, not sure what to say or do. "I went back. Because I'm a twisted and evil person, and I knew you wouldn't follow me," Feyre whispered, shame filling her eyes, shame that hadn't appeared since she had looked into the Ouroboros, but my beautiful mate didn't break eye contact. She didn't back down.

Never again would she.

I closed my eyes, understanding filling me.

When I opened my eyes again, I was more relaxed. "I understand," I told Feyre. "And you are not twisted. You," I started, my voice cracking, "You are not evil," I told her, letting so many emotions shine clear in my voice that the rest of our family turned around, giving us some semblance of privacy.

Feyre nodded, and I could feel how much it meant to her through the bond.

We would get through this whole mess.

Together.

 ** _Well that actually wasn't as happy as I had wanted it to be, but oh well. Next time, whenever that it. Till next time! Bye!_**


	8. Chapter 8

_**Hello! Since I write this AN before the story itself, I cannot accurately say when this will be posted, but at the time of writing it, I am on a roll with writing this story! I just finished the last chapter yesterday, and here I am, writing another. So, either way, you don't want to read me ranting. On to the story! Enjoy!**_

 **Feyre:**

After Rhysand finally realized where I had been, and told me that he understood why I had done it, we all reconvened, taking our seats around the living room.

Amren took over the huge armchair, which made her look more than a little ridiculous considering she was a quarter of its size. Cassian, Mor, and Azriel took the couch, all squishing in together, even with the wings, as was their fashion, and I was sitting on Rhysands lap on the other, smaller, loveseat.

"So…" Cassian began, trying to soothe the tension in the room coming from each of us as we tried to figure out what had been so important that Tamlin would have messaged Rhys.

My mate just chuckled before his face settled into a more serious position. "So, Tamlin sent me a letter, and it's not good. In fact, it's very, very bad," Rhysand told us all, making my chest clench as every cell in me began assuming the worst, and then what could be even worse than that. "Tamlin addressed a part of his letter to you, Feyre," Rhysand said more softly.

I just nodded, silently conveying that he should say it out loud. "He told me that you would know what it meant. He said that 'the blight has returned'" my husband quoted, and the gears in my head began churning. "That was all he said though. Other than that it was worse than before. He didn't specify what it was though, and he seemed… paranoid. More so than usual," Rhysand added, seeing the grimace on my face.

"Want to shed some light on this Feyre?" Azriel asked quietly, but not weakly. I wasn't surprised that it was the shadowsinger who had been the first one to directly ask about the meaning of Tamlin's message, since it was in his nature to know things.

I closed my eyes, steeling myself for the more probing questions that my answer would raise. "The masks. It has to mean that the masks the Spring Court was once trapped in have returned," I whispered, the horror setting in as I realized the ramifications of this new development.

Everyone was silent, waiting for me to shed more light on the situation. I heaved out a sigh and continued. "When I was first in the Spring Court, I was not aloud to know anything of Amarantha," I began, cursing myself for saying the name when everyone flinched. "But," I continued, "Tamlin tried to give me hints as to what was happening. He called her the blight, and told me that it was making magic malfunction, providing an explanation for his weaker magic, and for the masks.

"For him to say that the blight has returned, he has to mean the masks have returned. Otherwise he simply would have said that magic is growing strange," I finish, my brain already racing for answers as to why and how the masks that had plagued Tamlin and his court had returned.

Everyone was silent, each contemplating the information I had just shared. Rhysand's hand had found my own, and he squeezed it as he stood up, bringing me up with him, as I had been on his lap.

"I think this calls for a visit to the Spring Court," my mate announced. I waited for the joke about how we should bring along a painter this time to capture Tamlin with a mask stuck to his face again, but it didn't come, further emphasizing how serious this was.

"Agreed," Amren stated, making for the door where we could winnow to the Spring Court.

Everyone took that as a confirmation of our travel plan, even though it was late in the night, and followed the short Fae out the door of the townhouse.

Once outside, Mor grabbed Azriel and Cassian, Rhysand took Amren by the arm, and we all winnowed. I winnowed alone, as I wasn't strong enough yet to carry multiple people that far of a distance.

As it was, I was breathing a little heavily when we landed right outside of the wardings Tamlin had strengthened around his manor house. Nonetheless, I stepped up and put my hand on the much stronger shield, sending the powers that I had gained from Helion Spellcleaver through my fingers.

It didn't shatter the shields, as that would be pointless, considering that they were there for a reason, only carving a hole large enough for us to get through.

Once we did just that though, we made straight for the manor, the process all the easier considering that Tamlin still hadn't managed to get back most of his sentries.

Soon the whole procession of us were in the manor, everyone save for me fanning out to look for any sign of something off. No, I just strode right for the stairs, ignoring all of the terrible memories that arose at the sight of the interior of this house.

I made right for the study, where I knew Tamlin would be, no doubt feeling sorry for himself and doing absolutely nothing to stop it.

I was right. Tamlin was sitting in the large chair behind the desk, his head held between his hands. His hair was in front of his face, a golden curtain keeping me from seeing if the mask was truly back.

"Tamlin," I said, as softly as I could make myself. He looked up, and even though I had been prepared for it, it still struck something in my heart when I saw him with the mask on.

Someone, he looked more like the person I had fallen in love with that way, but not even a single piece of my heart felt that way about him anymore. The mask though, it was the exact same one that he had been wearing in the weeks before Under the Mountain, even though that shouldn't have been possible.

Just as Tamlin opened his mouth to speak, my family came into the room, making themselves comfortable amid the chairs and walls.

"It seems we have a lot to talk about," Rhysand said, no humor in his voice.

Tamlin just nodded.

 _ **Hi! I literally finished this a day after I wrote the author's note in the beginning, although I don't know when it will be posted. I'm still proud of myself though! Till next time! Bye!**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Hey everyone! This might seem like a repetition of what I usually say, but please leave a review! It means a lot, and considering I am keeping two other fanfictions going while also writing this one, it means a lot when someone appreciates how I am trying to keep all these stories up. Thanks! (And yes, for those who pmed me asking, I am only planning on doing P.O.V.'s from Rhysand and Feyre for the rest of the story, unless enough people really want me to do other ones) Enjoy!**_

 **Rhysand** :

When Cassian, Azriel, Mor, and I walked into Tamlin's study, it had looked like he had been about to say something important to my mate.

It could wait though, whatever it was, even if I felt bad for thinking that.

So after making sure Feyre was okay through our bond, we had begun the conversation we needed to have.

Tamlin was more civil than he had been to us at the meeting of the High Lords, but not by all that much. I give the High Lord of the Spring Court this though, he made an effort.

The masks. That was how he had begun. Those two words.

Then he had continued, telling us the tale of how he had awoken from a dream where Hybern had returned, and had been told by a shaking servant in clad in a bird's mask that everyone had a mask now.

I had felt, rather than seen, Feyre suppress a shudder as Tamlin told us in heart wrenching detail how he had dismissed the servant and seen for himself that what she said was true. Beginning with peering at a looking glass to see that the golden mask she had worked so hard to get off was back.

At that I was prepared to come to blows with the High Lord of the Spring Court just for that, just for reminding Feyre of that, of the hardships that she had gone through for the piece of shit in front of us, and emphasizing how it had been all for nothing since that masks were back.

When Azriel, Azriel of all people, opened his mouth to ask a question, as he was so good as doing, Tamlin sneered at him, claws growing from his hands.

My Mate noticed. And so my beautiful Mate turned on her heel and walked out of the room, clearly giving the message that Tamlin could solve his own problems if he was not willing to work with all of us. All.

Feyre's footsteps were sounding halfway down the hall when Tamlin gnashed his teeth together and swallowed his enormous amounts of pride and called out. "Feyre, please. I apologize," the bastard called out.

The footsteps stopped moving away from us, but no sounds came from Feyre.

Then she appeared in front of Tamlin, surrounding by the spell cleaving light that she had inherited from Helion. And there she stood, keeping her anger on a tight leash as she crossed her arms, staring dead into the eyes of her old lover.

"I am the wrong person to apologize to Tamlin," my wife stated icily after a few beats had gone by.

"Of course Feyre," Tamlin said graciously, acting the part of a proper High Lord for once.

Then Tamlin turned his head towards my Master of Spies, while still sitting behind his desk, and said to Azriel, "I am deeply sorry for any offense I have caused you… Azriel." No one in the room missed the hesitation before calling Azriel by his name instead of one of the slanderous things he had called my brother for centuries.

But no one mentioned it either. Azriel bent his head in thanks, Cassian and my cousin looked shocked, frankly, that Feyre had even gotten him to say that he was sorry. I wasn't as surprised, but it was still a pleasant thing to hear from the mouth that usually only spewed insults or honey coated words of charm, such as the ones that had first won my Mates heart.

Feyre alone let no emotion show on her face, although I felt many barreling around in her head through the bond.

"Very good. Now, how do you suppose we fix this problem?" Feyre asked, speaking not as the woman who had once shared his bed, and his deepest thoughts, but as the High Lady of the Night Court talking to the High Lord of the Spring Court. It was terrifying. And a turn on.

I made these thoughts clear to Feyre through our bond, and I heard a response of her calling me an Illyrian baby.

And then we were snapped back to the present. "I hoped that you might try to release us with your spell cleaving light, Feyre, but past that, I did not write asking for help. I simply thought that I would give warning. Something so large as this is not like to strike only the Spring Court," Tamlin decreed, pushing his chair back and standing up, a clear dismissal.

Feyre nodded to me and Mor, Cassian, and Azriel followed me out the door, leaving Feyre alone with Tamlin.

I don't know what transpired in the time that they were left alone, and Feyre would not tell me past that it had not worked, and the mask would not come off no matter how powerful a spell she used on it. Or a spell breaker.

So our procession made its way out, and as we winnowed away, my final sight of the Spring Court was of the woman who had once loved it, and then ruined it, and was no attempting to put it behind her. The best sight in the world to me.

 _ **Thank you all for reading, and for (hopefully) not hating me after taking forever to write this chapter! Again, drop a review! Till next time! Bye!**_


	10. Chapter 10

_**Hello one and all! Chapter 10! I feel like this is a milestone, even though in comparison with my other stories, if you look at workcounts, this is like chapter 4 or 5. Sorry. As always, drop a review, and, you should know by now… Enjoy!**_

 **Feyre:**

Two days after the encounter with Tamlin, we were all lazing around in different parts of the townhouse when another letter came, this one from the summer court.

At this point, so soon after that letter from Tamlin had sent things into a downwards spiral, no one was thrilled to receive this one, but Tarquin and his court were one of our closest allies, and the bonds between us had been healing since we stole the half of the book from them before the war, so we had no choice but to respond.

The situation was worse than we had thought.

With the masks returning to the Spring Court, things were already bad, we knew that much. But now… with what we had learned from the Summer court, things had hit a new level of bad.

And now we were on a clock to figure out what the heck has been happening.

The letter from Tarquin was very disturbing. It read:

 _My friends,_

 _I regret to be delivering this news, as by this point I am sure you have all heard the news from Tamlin and the Spring Court, but you all seem to have a track record for coming out as the victors with problems like this, and it seems we will need your help here in Adriata, and I fear, in much of Prythian. I do not feel safe divulging details of what is happening in this letter, but tell Amren to under no circumstances wear her blood ruby. Put them in an iron box with lead lining and bring them to me personally in Adriata. We will talk more then._

 _-Tarquin_

It was enough that he hadn't signed it officially, but rather as our friend. It showed how desperate he was.

But all the same, we had done as he told us, and put the blood rubies we still had from the incident months ago in an iron box lined with lead, even though it had been difficult to convince Amren to part with hers, and made our way to Adriata.

And when we had all winnowed there, with the exception of Azriel, who was off finding more about the situation in the Spring Court, things had been so much worse than we could have imagined.

And now, the sand was falling down to the bottom of the hourglass as we rushed to figure out who or what was behind these problems in the courts.

Because now it wasn't just the Spring Court that had been attacked. It was the Summer Court too. And all of Prythian because of that.

The blood rubies had begun killing those who had them.

Nothing like this had ever happened in the hundreds and hundreds of years of the Summer Court sending blood rubies to their enemies, so they had never stopped. But Tarquin had found out this morning that the rubies were actually killing those who they had been sent to, as long as the person still had them in their possession.

We still had no idea how, but it was happening, and we also had no idea how to stop it. Which was the reason for the meeting we were in right now with the highly ranked members of Tarquin's court.

"How many blood rubies have been sent out since the beginning of the tradition?" I asked finally, dreading the answer. Everyone had been skirting around this question the entire meeting, but it was time we knew the scope of this.

Tarquin was the one who answered me, "We reserve the rubies for those who do something truly terrible to us, so thankfully not as many as there could be… but the numbers still range in the hundreds unfortunately, being held everywhere from Day Court to Hybern, to the other continent," he revealed, clenching his jaw in frustration.

Even though no one is his court or lands held any blood rubies, since anyone who was given one was exiled, I could tell Tarquin felt responsible for every one of the death that his courts tradition had already caused.

Which was why we were going to resolve this and end the murders as quickly as possible.

Then my Mate spoke up, pointing out something that I hadn't noticed. "You specifically said from Day court to other places. But in Prythian, the Night Court is above them. Are there any blood rubies in my lands?" Rhys asks, and I could feel the instinctual desire to immediately protect his court barreling down the bond we shared.

Tarquin got a pained expression on his face. "No. As the Night Court has always been so secretive, no one ever really came here to the Summer Court, so no blood rubies were sent there until you stole our half of the book," Tarquin explained, wincing at the memory.

I could feel the tension seep out of my husband though, and out of the rest of my family.

"Well, we do like being the firsts," Rhys jokes lightly, trying to relieve some of the tension in the room, and failing.

I don't think any of would be laughing until we figured this situation out though, so we dove back in to trying to find a solution.

Hours later, I was halfway asleep as Rhys and I walked back to our room, where we would be staying until we came up with some kind of solution to this problem. So far, all we had come up with was to message everyone who might have a blood ruby and tell them to get it far away from them, or if they could, to get it here so we could figure out what was wrong with them.

The only problem with that was, when you are sent a blood ruby, the Summer Court cuts all ties with you, so Tarquin had no idea where most of the people who had been sent rubies in the past were.

"Let's hope this doesn't begin a pattern in the courts," Rhysand had remarked as the meeting was ending, and those words kept coming back to me now.

We had just ended the war with Hybern, and we were enjoying relative peace and happiness, and then this happened, sending everything into a mess again.

I walked closer to Rhys and took his hand, just wanting to feel his warmth.

"And to think things were going to well," I mutter, leaning into him for support.

My Mate chuckled, the closest thing to a laugh I had heard from anyone in days, and responded, "And to think."

 ** _And we've gotten into the thick of it! Sorry I haven't been updating regularly, and taking a long time in between updates, but school is coming to a close for me and summer is kind of just taking over. Till next time! Bye!_**


	11. Chapter 11

**_Hey everyone! I know, I know, you probably thought I was dead or something, but I've just been chilling on a beach, enjoying myself way too much! But, hopefully this is the beginning of me getting back into the rhythm of my writing. Without further ado, here is the first chapter in far too long! Enjoy!_**

 **Rhysand:**

When I woke up the next morning with the dawn, I didn't recognize where I was for a moment. Then my brain began racing and I remembered.

The blood rubies. Right.

Feyre was still asleep, with how early it was I wasn't surprised, so I slipped out of bed carefully, trying my best not to disturb her.

It didn't work as I had planned though, and she rolled over, fluttering her eyes open for just a moment. "He's out on the main terrace," my beautiful mate mumbled sleepily before turning back over and going to sleep.

How did I get so lucky to have someone like her, just knowing what I needed before I said a thing. Only my mate would know that if I was getting up this early it was because I had to do something, and only my mate would know to just reach out and find the male I was looking for with her little piece of his magic.

Only Feyre.

I stooped over and gave her a quick peck on the nose before slipping into some clothes and leaving the room, shutting the door softly. Then I headed out to the terrace on the top floor of the Palace to find Tarquin, the male I needed to talk to.

"Would I be correct to assume that you could not sleep either Rhys?" the High Lord of the Summer Court asks wearily from where he stood, his arms braced on the pale marble railing of the terrace.

"Not quite. I believe I have a solution to our problem of getting those blood rubies back," I begin. The male next to me gives me his full attention, hope shining in his eyes. "The younger female Illyrians. They still have their wings, and can fly as well as any, but they are not as menacing as the adult male Illyrians, so Fae would be more willing to treat with them. Also, they have enough training now, thanks to Cassian's new implements, so they can handle themselves if they get into trouble," I explain.

Tarquin pushed off of the railing and began pacing furiously, and I could practically see the thoughts churning in his head.

After a few minutes of this he turns back to me. "Only the girls who volunteer can do it. No forcing anyone to clean up my mistake," Tarquin finally responded, silver lining the younger males eyes.

I take a few steps closer to him, and put my hands on his shoulders, giving him no choice but to look me in the eyes. "I would never force a subject of mine to do anything," I begin. And before Tarquin can say anything I continue, saying, "And this is not your mistake. Your predecessors sent out blood rubies too, and either way, this is Hybern's work somehow. And we will stop them, but if you begin blaming yourself now, then all is lost."

Tarquin nods and then does something I had not expected from him. The High Lord steps up and hugs me fiercely.

"Thank you Rhysand. You are a true friend, I see that now," Tarquin says to me when he pulls away.

I nod, grateful to be forgiven. "Any you are a true High Lord to your people," I tell him back honestly.

 _I hate to break up whatever moment you and Tarquin are having, but you need to get back here as soon as possible. Bring Tarquin if you can. Az is back from somewhere._ Feyre communicates with me through the bond.

 _Az went out?_ I shoot back. Strange, he usually tells me when he goes out, or otherwise I give the order, I think to myself.

 _Apparently. He woke me up when he got back, looking for you. We are talking now but he won't tell me his news. He wants everyone who needs to hear it together first before he shares what he learned._ My Mate responds.

 _Be back soon._ I reply, turning to fill Tarquin in on what I just learned.

 _Winnow. I opened a path through the wards. Az says it's really important._ Feyre implores me, urgency coming across through the bond.

 _Thank you Feyre, darling._ I send back quickly before explaining to Tarquin that my spymaster was back and he apparently had news.

Tarquin nodded when I asked if he would come with me, and the High Lord began walking down the hallway to get to our rooms a few floors down in the Palace.

I jogged to catch up and grabbed his wrist. "No need," I say, smirking, before winnowing us both down the path Feyre opened through the wards.

In a blink we were in the sitting room attached to me and Feyre's room, and everyone else was already gathered.

Tarquin looked astounded that he had just been winnowed inside of his Palace, and Feyre looked worn, sweat forming on her forehead from the effort of keeping the path open.

The moment my Mate spotted us she let the path snap shut, I could tell from the sigh of relief she gave at the release of the magical strain, and promptly half collapsed on the floor, breathing hard.

Tarquin didn't seem to notice though, for he looked at me with wide eyes. "How are you that powerful?" The male questioned, hints of awe and fear lacing the words.

I just chuckled. "I'm not. That would be my lovely wife and Helion's powers in her, and as you can see…" I trailed off, gesturing to Feyre, who was almost asleep on the floor, panting.

"My powers now," she managed to breathe out, causing a smile to jump to my face.

Tarquin seemed relieved to hear and see that, and that was the moment that Azriel cleared his throat softly.

All eyes in the room were immediately on him.

"Whatever it is that is happening here and in the Spring Court struck the Dawn Court."

 ** _Ahhhh! The satisfaction of leaving on a cliffhanger. I promise you all that the next chapter will not take that long to write, although it probably will not be up for another week or so. Thanks for understanding! Till next time! Bye!_**


	12. Chapter 12

**_I'm back, and much sooner than any of us thought, so I'm proud of myself! Also, I was thinking of branching out from my Rhysand and Feyre only point of views. Leave a review at the bottom for which member of the Inner Circle you would most like to see some point of views from! Enjoy!_**

 **Feyre:**

I had been mostly asleep on the ground, tired from keeping a path in Tarquin's wards open, but when Azriel told us his news I was immediately awake and alert, listening closely to what he would say next.

Everyone in the room seemed stunned, too shocked to react, leaving Az standing awkwardly in the middle of the group, not sure whether he should continue on or not.

I was mostly just scared to know how bad the situation was.

Therefore, I recovered first, and immediately began questioning the shadowsinger. "What happened? Has Thesan called for help? How many people have been hurt?" I asked in quick succession, slinging each question at Azriel as soon as the last had finished coming out of my mouth.

Azriel looked slightly overwhelmed by the bombardment, but he quickly reverted back to the calm and collected male I had always known him to be. "The machines that the Dawn Court is known for had taken on some sort of virus it seems, acting against the will of their owners. Thesan has been attempting to keep the situation under wraps, but he sent a letter to the House of Wind, trusting Rhysand to be able to help. Unfortunately, there have been a number of casualties," Azriel explains, answering each of my questions in the order that I asked them in.

Rhysand had his head bowed, and I knew that it was because my Mate felt the burden of being asked to give help that he does not know how to give.

 _You are doing your best,_ I tell him through the bond, sending love along with the words.

Instead of sending back an answer, my husband gives me a look filled with gratitude and thankfulness before turning to his Illyrian brother.

"How bad?" was all my beautiful Mate asked. Two simple words. Six letters. But they held all of the suspense of a thousand. And the answer that followed would be the one that told the fate of an entire people.

We all waited for Azriel to answer.

The spymaster winced slightly and replied, "The revolt is complete. Every single machine and mechanical object in the Dawn Court had gone on a rampage, causing mass destruction on a level seen there only once before," Azriel stops, leaving a small pause.

We all knew in that room what the time before had been. Amarantha.

But I refused to think about her right now. Refused to let that become an option for what was happening. Something like her.

Azriel continued, breaking me from my thoughts. "The only good news seems to be that the reaction has only occurred inside the Dawn Court," Azriel adds before we all once again lapse into silence.

It wasn't a silence for everyone though, because as I was racing to figure out what I should do next, as a High Lady and not just Feyre, my friends around me were mobilizing, carrying out the orders being given by my husband.

Rhysand had his hands in his pockets, and was making eye contact with each person in the room one at a time, showing that he was speaking to them at that moment.

Soon, everyone was gone from the room except me and my Mate.

I sat down heavily on the couch and put my head in my hands. I felt it rather than saw it when Rhys sat down next to me and began rubbing soothing circles on my back.

"You are doing your best," my husband says, echoing my words from only minutes ago.

I nod, leaning into the reassuring touch of my Mate. After a moment, I ask, "Where did you send them all?" and attempting to collect myself while he answers.

"Cassian is headed to the Illyrian Steppes to recruit girls to retrieve the blood rubies," Rhysand begins, explaining his plan to help the Summer Court to me. "And to help Cassian and the girls in their mission, Tarquin is digging through old records from his predecessors to compile a list of everyone who still has a blood ruby," Rhysand continues.

As far as plans made by our court went, this one sounded solid. "Good. What about the others?" I question, tucking my feet up under me on the couch.

I knew that Rhys would have sent some to the Dawn Court to try to help Thesan and his people, but I wanted to know where he sent Azriel mostly, and what he meant to do to get to the bottom of these attacks.

Rhysand, ignoring my cry of protest, stops his soothing rubbing and faces me on the couch, taking hold of my hands to play with my fingers. "Azriel is going to make contact with his eyes and ears in each of the courts, giving them the message to be on the lookout specifically on matters like this," Rhys answers finally, making a sweeping gesture around us, letting go of my hands.

"Everyone else just went to see what they could do for Thesan and the Dawn Court in stopping these machines," my Mate tells me, finishing explaining the orders that were given.

"What about you? What are you going to do?" I ask, curious to why Rhysand was still here, not that I was complaining.

Rhys winces, "I was hoping that you weren't going to ask that, because I know you won't like the answer that you are going to get," he says. When I raise my eyebrows at him, he continues, "I am going to follow a lead on who might me causing all of this… the dreamers from the Court of Nightmares that you brought into Velaris," Rhysand tells me.

I sigh, knowing that it was probably the best thing to do, even if I didn't like that they were being put under suspicion. "I envy you. I'm going to be writing a letter, but I would still rather face the Weaver again," I mutter.

"Who are you writing a letter to?" Rhysand asks casually as he stands up off of the couch and begins preparing to question the dreamers out of the Hewn City. When I don't answer for a few beats, he turns to look at me, waiting.

I sigh again. "Lucien Vanserra."

 ** _Hey! Thanks for reading this chapter, and I will have the next one up in a week or so, two weeks tops! Hope you are all enjoying your summer! Remember to vote for a new point of view in the review section! Till next time! Bye!_**


	13. Chapter 13

**_Hi! Two things. One, I am going to toot my own horn a bit, cause I'm proud. I have been on an updating roll, with all of my stories, and I'm reveling in that before it fades, because it totally will. The second thing is more of an announcement. If you are part of the PJO fandom, check out my new story, Green and Gray, and leave a review, it would mean a lot! Now, onto the story you have all signed up to read! Enjoy!_**

 **Rhysand:**

Once Feyre sent out the letter to Lucien, detailing what was happening in the Dawn Court, and asking him to help, since his friend is a mechanic there, I had to leave for Velaris to follow up on a suspicion of mine.

The Dreamers who Feyre had pulled from the Court of Nightmares. They were the only people who I could think of who might have a hand in what was happening to Prythian's courts, since they were from the Hewn City, and many of its inhabitants were supporters of Hybern during the war.

That was my job in all of this, since the small handful of people that I fully trusted to do this were completing other tasks that were more important to the present.

That was always how it seemed to be in my inner circle. My family did the things that were needed now, and I always ended up being the one scheming for the future, setting things up and keeping secrets that would eventually help us.

I was the High Lord who worked towards the big picture, and they were the saviors that my people recognized.

And before I had met Feyre, as happy as I was for my family, it had hurt that even to my own people, I wasn't the hero. But then I had met my mate, and she had helped me completely come to terms with being the male behind the curtains.

And as I winnowed into Velaris I thought that that was the best thing I could be doing for my people, especially as I made my way to the inn where the Dreamers were staying and found that their rooms were all empty.

Flying over Velaris, looking for any sign of the Dreamers, I thought about what I had asked Feyre to do before I had left.

She had kissed me goodbye crying, and it had broken my heart to see, since I was asking her to do he thing that was making her cry. I had asked my mate to catch a Suriel. She was uncannily good at doing it, even if we suspected that her friend, the Suriel who had died before the final battle with Hybern, had let herself be caught.

Having to face a Suriel after watching the one Feyre had come to care for would no doubt be difficult, but it had to be done. There were questions we needed answers to that only a Suriel could provide. Feyre had agreed, on the condition that I would come when she caught the Suriel.

Her exact words were, "I can deal with catching the Suriel, but to stand there and look at it, when they all look the same" my wife had gotten out before beginning to cry softly.

I had wrapped my arms around her, and comforted her until it was time for us both to begin our missions. But I knew how capable my mate was, so I was on a clock, because the moment Feyre called that she had caught the Suriel, I would drop whatever I was doing to go wherever she was.

I landed in the middle of the street, having caught sight of one of the Dreamers. Striding up to her, I first asked what her name was and apologized for not having welcomed her into the city sooner. I had decided that not letting on that I was suspicious of her would make her more comfortable, and more likely to reveal something she may otherwise not have.

"My name is Emili High Lord," The woman answered, smiling graciously. "Thank you for coming to welcome me."

I smiled back, trying to mask my caution. "I have a question for you too Emili," I began. When the woman nodded that I should ask it I continued. "Do you like rubies?" I asked casually, like I was asking the weather.

In reality, every nerve in me was on alert, studying her face for any reaction when I asked my question. It paid off, her eyes flashing with alarm.

Watching her was a waste though, since she bolted a few moments after I asked my question, shoving through vendors to get away. I took to the sky, spreading my wings out and catching up with her in no time. Quickly I winnowed us away to right outside the House of Wind, and then flew the rest of the way in.

Racing down the halls, carrying the girl I reached the bottom floor in no time, the level inside the mountain where the crown room was. And the dungeon.

In the dungeon, one of my predecessors had thought it wise to include a lead lined room, which I locked the "Dreamer" in. More like wicked dreamer.

Leaving the girl there, under lock, key, and spell, for Azriel to question later, I made my way back to the uppermost floor, and hopped off the balcony.

Time to return to Feyre.

Feyre and the Suriel.

 ** _Guys and Girls I am sorry. Truly. I'm in a bit of a writing slump, which is why this chapter is terribly written and quick paced and just horrible, along with being short. But either way, speaking of being short, I am going to make this story short too. I am thinking maybe around 16 or 17 chapters? We will see how writing goes after this awful chapter. Till next time! Bye!_**


	14. Chapter 14

_**It's me, and I am still alive! Shocking, I know. I was gone for a week, and I didn't have my computer, and therefore I couldn't write. Sorry. But I am here now, and teeming with inspiration, so I'm going to get this ball rolling again! Enjoy!**_

 **Feyre** :

While I waited for Rhysand to show up after I told him that I had caught the Suriel I tried to look anywhere but at my catch. It was too painful.

I had known that the Suriel were a species of creatures but I had only ever met one, so I suppose it had never sunk in that there were multiple. And that they all looked the same.

Exactly like the Suriel who had become my friend. Like the Suriel who Ianthe had murdered.

I was spared the memories being dredged up though, as my mate winnowed into the clearing where the Suriel hung suspended from the rope that I had baited her into with a new cloak. "That didn't take you very long," Rhys noted, his mouth quirking up in a half smirk.

I looked away, ashamed. "The Suriels trust me," I murmured. It was true. The Suriel hadn't put up any fight since being trapped, only attempting to get me to let her go once.

"Yes! We do! I will help if the High Lord and Lady let me down!" The Suriel screeched from the center of the clearing. Rhysand looked at me, asking me silently what I wanted to do.

I sighed and nocked an arrow in the bow that I had brought, and shot it through the rope, like I had done for my old friend. "Help the High Lord for me," I requested of the Suriel before winnowing away, unable to look at the replica of my friend any longer.

Rhysand would ask his questions, and hopefully get some useful answers, but I would be no part of it. That had been the deal.

Meanwhile, Rhys had used the mating bond to tell me he had caught one of the dreamers after they ran from his questions. So, since I had been the one to allow them into our court, I would be the first one to question her.

I snapped my wings out when I appeared in the open air above the house of wind, gliding down to the terrace. Rhys had given me vague directions of where she was being held, so I followed them around for a bit, only having to turn back once or twice before I got there. I would have to spend more time getting to know the layout of this place once everything had settled down.

The young woman in the room stood up as I entered, leering at me. So no playing nice anymore, I thought as I let my magic slide over my skin, only working because I was the High Lady.

"Your name," I demand, leaping right into my questions. I had no time for beating around the bush with this 'dreamer' if she even was. Not after I had given her and her group my trust by letting them stay in my court.

"Rheniya."

Good. This girl, Rheniya, wasn't going to waste my time either.

"Your purpose here?" I continue, spearing the young woman with a steely glare. Yes, it was important to know why she was here, but to me, it didn't matter. She had betrayed me and put the country I had fought and bled for in danger.

Silence stared back at me.

I smiled, a bloodthirsty thing. If Rheniya wanted to do things the hard way, I would oblige.

From the sheath on my thigh, I drew Whisper, the knife that Azriel had gifted me with on the last solstice. I could still remember his awkward embrace as I had hugged him.

"Your purpose here?" I repeated, my face going still as stone.

Rheniya glanced at Whisper, and immediately started fidgeting. She was sucking on her teeth, and playing with her fingers. But it wasn't quite right. Her face was still hard and unflinching.

"Your purpose here?" I asked for the final time before I would begin getting information another way.

"Long live Hybern," was all Rheniya said before she bit down on something. White foam began frothing from her lips, and her body started shaking.

Poison. The damn girl had poisoned herself. She hadn't been sucking on her teeth, she had been freeing some kind of powder from her tooth.

Once Rheniya stopped moving, I used Whisper to slit her throat, making sure she was dead. Azriel or someone else would dispose of the body in a way that I did not know how to do, but I had had too much of people coming back from the dead to leave anything to chance.

Then I resheathed Whisper, still coated in Rheniya's blood, and stalked from the room.

The girl may not have meant to, but she had told us something very important. 'Long live Hybern' had been her exact words. Which meant that she was from Hybern, and that Hybern was still trying to hurt us.

The pieces were falling into place in my head. The 'dreamers' must have been Hybern diplomats or spies that were in the Hewn City at the time of Hybern's fall. That would give them a way into the city, and knowing that I would want to help artists and those like me, they put on a pretense to fool me into giving them a way to stay long enough to cause strife in the courts.

Which meant that Tarquin's rubies killing people, and the machine revolt at the Dawn Court, along with the Spring Courts mask dilemma. It was all their fault. And my fault for letting them into Velaris.

But for once I wasn't going to doubt myself. I wasn't going to let myself fall into that hole of self pity and blame. The dreamers had done all of those things. This was on them.

And I would be the one to make them pay.

 _ **That chapter took me longer than I had planned to write, since I kept procrastinating. You know how it is, you stop writing for a week or so and then it's hard to get back into the rhythm of it? Either way, I am looking for a new book to read, so send in suggestions! Till next time! Bye!**_


	15. Chapter 15

**_I'm back again, and if I remember correctly, it's been less than a week I believe. So, that puts me on top of things. Hopefully by the time that I publish that it is still under a week. Fingers crossed and all that junk. Enjoy!_**

 **Rhysand:**

My chat with the Suriel had been extremely helpful, and by the time that the Suriel had disappeared into the trees, I had learned all that I needed to. And now, I needed to get back to my Mate. I had noticed how much seeing another Suriel had shaken her up.

Winnowing to the street outside our townhouse I opened up the door to find Feyre pacing a path into the carpet. "Rhys!" my wife exclaimed when she saw me. "Rhys, Rheniya is dead, and all of the awful things happening around the courts are from the last pieces of Hybern's revolution, and now the rest of the group from the Hewn City is gone, and they could be anywhere in Prythian by now and I have no _idea_ how to find them!" Feyre ranted, throwing her hands up in the air as silver lined her eyes.

It was so hard to see my Mate carrying the same weight that I had carried for centuries, ruling the Night Court. I walked the four steps to Feyre and gathered her in my arms as she let out the frustration pent up from everything happening at the Courts.

"We will find them. No matter how far they go, or how fast they run. We will find them together, the way we do everything best," I whispered in my wife's ear, and I could feel her nod against my chest.

I made contact with Azriel, updating him on everything that I had found out from the Suriel, and what Feyre had just told me using my Daemati powers as Feyre held onto me.

When Feyre let go, I looked down at her and smirked. "In the meantime, how about we have a little fun?" I say, winking.

Some of the fear and worry melting from Feyre's eyes, a grin meets mine in return as she leads me upstairs to our room.

 **Feyre:**

Waking up next to Rhysand was something that I would never get tired of. No matter how often I did it, and no matter what was happening around us at any moment, getting to wake up in the morning next to this gorgeous, sweet male was always an amazing way to begin my day.

It was amazing for about five minutes, just lying there next to my perfect Mate. And then everything that needed to get done today came rushing in, and the golden hues of the morning turned ashy.

I rolled out of bed, padding across the room to the wardrobe to change into the Illyrian leathers hanging there. The familiar feel of the fighting gear enveloped me, the material fitting like a glove. It had been a while since I had put these on. When Cassian and I trained, or Azriel would teach me new flying techniques, so I would be able to fight with the Illyrians if the need again arose, I just wore leggings and a shirt.

There hadn't been a reason to really don the leathers in a while. Everything hadn't been running smoothly per say, but it hadn't been bad enough to warrant going on a quest. Nothing like what had prompted me to constantly wear them before the war with Hybern.

I knew my Mate wore them whenever he went to the Illyrian mountains to settle something with this clan leader or that clan leader, but I had had my own duties to attend to around Velaris, and had never joined along.

I made a mental note to do that one of these times. If I was going to be a good High Lady to the Night Court then I was going to have to learn about all of the citizens, not just those in Velaris.

Rhysand must have heard me get up, since a pair of arms wrapped around me at that moment. I melted back into them, thinking it was Rhysand.

It was not Rhysand. The arms pulled tighter and put a hand over my mouth, muffling my voice. The person behind me started walking backwards, dragging me to the door, still in my night wear. I screamed as loud as I could, trying to wake Rhysand up as my kidnapper pulled me closer to the door.

I must have screamed loud enough that even with the hand over my mouth Rhys shot up and his magic immediately flared out, fear cascading through his eyes. I was Rhys' true fear. Or, losing me, I suppose.

As his magic, black as night, neared us, the man winnowed. He must have wanted Rhysand to see what was happening to me. And as the black void that came with winnowing enveloped me, terror struck deep and true into me.

Hybern had me.

Hybern had me.

Hybern had me.

They had wanted me during the war. They had wanted me dead. And now they had me and who knew what was going to happen. The Cauldron knew if I would ever see my family again. See Rhys again.

Tears started leaking from my eyes, but I stopped them. I may never see my family again. But until I died, I was the High Lady of the Night Court. And I would not cry.

 ** _Sorry for that, but it needed to happen. Feyre's strong, she should be fine. Right? Till next time! Bye!_**


	16. Chapter 16

_**I've finally figured out where this story is going to end up, so I'm no longer writing without a plan! That being said, the way things are going to happen, I won't need that many more chapters to wrap things up, so I think 20 chapters is going to be the end amount. Now, let's see what's happening with our High Lady! Enjoy!**_

 **Feyre** :

All I knew was darkness. Endless, despairing, darkness. This wasn't the darkness of Rhysand's powers. This wasn't the black of Azriel's shadows. It was the inky nothing of nightmares. It didn't remind me of home, of the Night Court. It reminded me of my old cell in Amarantha's court.

It was fitting, I supposed, that that would be what I was reminded of, considering Amarantha was one of Hybern's commanders, and I had been taken by Hybern.

The question was, taken _where_?

There was no light where I was, and there were no points of darker shadows. It was pitch black, through and through. I could be inside a room, or on a field, or in midair, and I would have no idea.

If not for the sounds I could hear. My captors, the "dreamers", who I had begun to call the Nightmares, had taken my sight, but they had left me my hearing.

Music echoed around, me the same lilting tune that Rhysand had sent to me Under the Mountain. The tune that you could only hear in Velaris.

Which meant that I hadn't left home. I hadn't left my City of Starlight. My family could still find me.

It made sense that I was still here. For whatever twisted reason, my captor had wanted Rhysand to see me taken, and try to stop it from happening, only to fail. After that, Rhysand's first action would have been to lock up every way out of the city tight. Trade would stop, no one would go in or out, not until I had been found. And I would be found.

Velaris was big, but it wasn't big enough for The Nightmares to keep my family from finding me. Amren, the Tiny Ancient One. Azriel, the Spymaster. Cassian, the Illyrian General. Morrigan, a renowned fighter. And Rhys, my mate, who would find me no matter what, who would tear this city apart to find me. He would bow to no one but his crown and me, and he would not be cowed by these pretenders.

I just had to get out of here before he did something that he would regret.

It was just about figuring out _how_?

 **Rhysand** :

Flying over the city I tried desperately to smell Feyre or reach her through the mating bond. It was futile and I knew it, Hybern would have drugged her with Faebane, but I couldn't sit still and just wait for something else to happen.

For my Mate to turn up dead.

It had been the worst moment of my life, seeing Feyre being kidnapped inside our own home, in our bedroom, right in front of me, and not being able to save her in time. It had been worse than the war's, worse than anything. She was mine, and I was hers, and that was what kept me in the light.

My family did their best, and I loved them for it. No one could rival the love we shared. No one except the newest member to that family. Feyre.

I had closed down the ports and all points out of Velaris with my own magic in a burst of darkness the moment her captor winnowed away. And I had kept those wards up. I intended to keep them up until we found Feyre.

She had to be in Velaris still. Even winnowing, her captor wouldn't have gotten out of Velaris in time.

Even so, I had sent a letter to each High Lord, and Lucien Vanserra in the Human Lands to be on the lookout. Even Tamlin had gotten a letter. I could put aside my grudges and hatred for Feyre.

If he could return her to me before I lost her or something terrible happened to her, I would make the man my brother.

Feyre was all that mattered.

All of Velaris was looking for her, their High Lady, and not from duty, but because they loved her. She had won over the people, and sometimes I thought that they liked her more than me. Not that I could blame them.

Mor, Cassian, Azriel, Amren, and even Varian, who had been visiting, were looking for her, scouring the streets and shops and every nook and cranny none. But Velaris was big. It would take days at this point, days that Feyre might not have.

Nesta and Elain were looking too, moving with teams of Velaris citizens, methodically moving through the Rainbow.

I just didn't know what to do, how to find her. The "dreamers" were behind this, that much was obvious, and they worked for Hybern, which meant that they had a grudge to settle on behalf of their dead king and crippled county.

But they hadn't left a message, or a letter. There had been no sign of any of them. That just worried me more. If they didn't want something in exchange for her, than they just wanted revenge, which could be lethal to my wife.

 _Where are you Feyre, Darling?_

 _ **There you go, a new chapter! And we finally reached the climax! Tell me what you think! Till next time! Bye!**_


	17. Finale!

**_Everyone, I started school today. Usually that would mean that my chapters would get longer and come more regularly, but since I am fairly sure that this is going to be the final chapter of this story, that isn't really going to apply. But, this chapter should be longer, as I am going to try to wrap everything up, so we'll see how that goes. On to the finale! Enjoy!_**

 **Feyre:**

The sound of my ring sawing through the rope was the only sound around me. It seemed like the only sound in the world. It seemed like the constant back and forth was the world, the feeling and noise echoing back and forth around in the well of darkness that was all around me.

I had found the sharp edge on the blue stone in the ring I had stolen back from the Weaver's cottage—Rhys' mom's ring—hours ago, and since then I had been using it to break the rope binding me. The Faebane was still in my blood, and I couldn't touch my magic, so it was the best option.

None of the Nightmare's had come to give me food, or water yet, and I wasn't passed out or dead, so I couldn't have been their captive for too long, which gave me hope.

SNAP! The rope around my wrists fell away and I brushed the loosened pieces off my wrist. I still couldn't see around me, so I didn't know if there was a better tool to cut the ropes on my legs with around me, which left the ring as my only option, once again.

I had to get out of here fast. The longer I spent trying to free myself and escape, the longer the Nightmares would be running around my city, hurting those I loved. And the longer Rhysand would have to rip our city to shreds looking for me.

No one could doubt my mate's devotion to Velaris. Not after what he did when Amarantha came around. But I didn't doubt for a second that he wouldn't go to all extremes looking for me. He had lost everyone else. He had Cass and Az, and Mor and Amren, but it wasn't the same. They were connected to him like I was. They had their own connections, hundreds of years old and stronger than anything. Anything but a mating bond.

And I knew my mate. He would let the city crumble before letting that bond snap for real. And I refused to let him do that, for his own sake.

SNAP! The ropes binding my legs to the chair freed, and I was stumbling up to my feet, legs weak from disuse, trying to get to a door.

I couldn't see a thing though. I had no idea how big the room was, or what was in it. There could be a door in front of me, or the Nightmares with weapons trained on me.

It flashed me back to when Lucien and I had fled the Spring Court and I hadn't been able to tap into my magic to shift my eyes to see in the dark. What I wouldn't give for that now, so I could get out of here faster.

Shuffling forward, my feet not leaving the ground, I tried to be as quiet as possible as I made my way to what was hopefully a wall, arms out in front of me to feel anything in front of me.

My heart beat sounded deafening in the silence, like someone would hear it at any moment and come to tie me back to the chair.

There. Groping into the darkness, I felt the hard, cold stone of the wall, and followed it, figuring it would lead me to a door at some point. I figured right too, and in a matter of moments I was fumbling around for the door knob.

 _Yes! Yes!_ The door swung inward, letting in light. And letting me out.

Running, running, running. I was running through the streets of Velaris. Frantic. Searching. Mate. Where was my mate? Where was Rhysand?

My feet were bare, and I was filthy, but I didn't care. Where was my family? I had to get to them before the Nightmares did something.

I was so focused on finding my family that it didn't even occur to me to go up in the air where I could go faster for minutes. Valuable minutes.

The running that I was doing was moving my blood around faster, circulating the Faebane and getting it through my system. It should have been fading either way by now, but I could really feel it at this point.

It was just enough to snap my wings out and take off, getting myself up into the air.

Immediately my eyes landed on the two figures flying together a few hundred yards to my left. Cassian and Azriel.

My thoughts were in a jumble, all mixed up and out of focus. There was only them, a goal. Get to them. Get to Rhysand. Get to Rhysand. Get revenge on the Nightmares.

"AZRIEL! CASSIAN!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, but it didn't come out as powerful as I wanted. I had been given no water, and my throat was dry so my shout came out as more of a whisper. And my wings were faltering too. I was weak. The nightmares had wanted it that way.

I dipped in the air, faltering. "CASSIAN! AZRIEL!" I tried again. It was better this time. I was closer to them.

Two heads whipped in my direction as I faltered again, and the Illyrians raced towards me, relief visibly washing over both of them. And then terror and horror as my wings fully gave out and the exhaustion crashed into me, the adrenaline from my escape fading fast. As I dropped.

My wings vanished, leaving me helpless as I plummeted down towards the cobblestone streets of Velaris, unable to winnow with some of the Faebane still in my system. Unable to do anything.

The air shot out of my lungs as my fall was abruptly stopped. Azriel had caught me, Cassian only milliseconds behind.

"Thank you," I croaked out before sleep swallowed me again, knowing I was safe in my family's arms.

 **Rhysand:**

Cassian and Az barged through the door of the townhouse, where I was wearing a track in the thick carpet. Cass had let me into his mind minutes ago, showing me what was happening across the city as they saw Feyre. My heart had almost stopped when my wife's wings had vanished and she had started falling towards the city, and I had cheered when Azriel had caught her.

And now I was waiting to be reunited with my Mate, so we could hunt down Hybern's last spies together. So we could destroy them together.

Because the High Lord and Lady of the Night Court were back together.

 ** _Okay. So that was shorter than I had planned it to be, and the writing wasn't top notch, but I finally got the story up there, and the finale is out! The story is done! And I will miss writing for this, but if you are in the TOG fandom, I just published a story with my friend, TheForsakenCourier there, called Fate and Finals, so definitely check that out! Thank you all for reading my story, I love you all! Leave a review and tell me how you liked this story! Bye!_**


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